A Fleeing Chance
by gazebows
Summary: It’s been a year since Shang and Mulan last parted. When the emperor calls upon Mulan for a secret mission, she and Shang encounter once again. They’re both determined to put their feelings for each other in the past, but sometimes love has its own rules.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I don't own any of the characters here that you might recognize from the movie.  
  
Summary- It's been a year since Li Shang and Mulan last parted. When the emperor calls upon Mulan for a secret mission, she and Shang encounter once again. They're both determined to put their feelings for each other in the past, but sometimes love has its own rules...  
  
A/n- This is my first Mulan fanfic. Hope you like it. Please read and review!

  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Mulan sat on a bench by the lake, absentmindedly playing with her raven- colored hair. She gazed down at the surface of the crystal-clear watery waste, and furrowed her eyebrows together in deep thought. Beside her stood a majestic peach tree, its exquisite flowers showering radiant beauty to anything that have the fortune of admiring them. A gentle breeze blew across the yard, scattering fallen petals in all directions. Spring has finally come again, Mulan noted as a single petal landed softly on her lap.  
  
Hearing footsteps near her, Mulan looked up and smiled as she saw her father slowly coming her way. He held a walking stick that was shabby and made out of wood, but it served its purpose well. Fa Zhou developed his limp when he went to fight in a war in his young adulthood. Now he is quite old, and sometimes depended on Mulan to get most of the work done around the house. Mulan didn't mind. She loved her father dearly and would do anything to repay her debts to him as a child.  
  
"Hello, Baba," Mulan said as he took a seat next to her. She dropped her hands and glanced around nervously. What she was checking for, she didn't know.  
  
"Mulan," Fa Zhou said, his voice rough with age, but a gentle sound within it all the same. "Have you made up your mind yet?"  
  
Mulan stared at the swaying trees in the distance, weighing the options in her mind. "I don't want to abandon you here, Baba," She spoke finally, her hand reaching up to her hair again, twirling it around her fingers.  
  
Her father studied her silently, his questioning eyes roaming over her delicate face. Only moments ago had the emperor sent a messenger to their home to deliver a message to Fa Mulan. It was brief, and only asked that Mulan report to the Palace if she can as soon as possible for a secret mission. Fa Zhou knew that she truly wanted to go, but her guilty conscience of leaving him here is making her doubt her decision.  
  
Mulan is a precious child. She doesn't spend her time learning how to become a proper lady, but in her father's eyes she already is one. He had accepted long ago that she was not meant to be a mere housewife, staying home all day, not living a real life. Fa Zhou had suspected that when he first laid his eyes upon her at birth. Last year, when she came home from the war he had no more doubt that she was not just any girl. She has a vivid dream for her own life, and having a husband bossing her around is definitely not included. Though Fa Zhou knew she would fall in love and get married eventually, he knew the man would be one to respect Mulan's independent nature.  
  
Fa Zhou understood how much Mulan's savored freedom. He would not tie her down to a boring life full of tedious chores just for his own sake.  
  
"You would not be abandoning me at all, Mulan. Your mother and grandmother will take good care of me, and I'm not that old as to not be able to embrace chores again. Go, my daughter. We will all be all right." He smiled at her, and reached out a hand to stroke her arm. Mulan lifted her head and stared into his eyes, as if searching for the truth. She was quiet for several moments, then she gave her father a big hug.  
  
"Are you sure you'll be okay with me gone, Baba?" she murmured, her head against his shoulder.  
  
"We managed before when you went to war, didn't we?" He answered, releasing her and standing up. "Now, go pack, and get ready for the long ride."  
  
Mulan picked a full bloom flower from the tree and handed it to her father. Fa Zhou took it without a word, accepting it for the sign that Mulan needed to see. He held it under his nose and breathed in deeply, the sweet smell of the freshly blossomed flower tingling his nose. Mulan watched his father intently and the corners of her lips tugged up slightly.  
  
She waved her father good bye and went inside the house. The young girl entered the kitchen, where her mother and grandmother stood beside the stove, sipping tea peacefully. Mulan positioned herself behind her mother and shifted her feet uncomfortably. She watched the teapot on the stove boil for a moment and then turned her eyes on her mother and grandmother.  
  
Mulan looked at her their tired face, full of lines and wrinkles from aging and hard labor. Her grandmother's hair was pure white, while her mother's was close. They both had large bags under their eyes from lack of sleep. Mulan saw how thin her mother had gotten, and she pictured a small breeze of air blowing her away. She looked so fragile. As for her grandmother... her health was not so good. She was often worn out, yet she helped out as much as she can around the house. Now, by the weary way she was leaning against the counter, Mulan thought she would fall down if she doesn't sit down soon.  
  
Can I really leave them like this? Mulan asked herself. She knew that whatever the emperor wanted with her could only take several days or less, but more likely it'll result in at least a month. She had a sudden vision of her family falling apart without her there to hold them together. Despite what her father had told her, she still didn't know what exactly is the right thing to do this time. Biting her lip, she stood contemplating for some time, then finally spoke.  
  
"Do you really think everything will be fine if I go, Mama?" Mulan asked, her voice soft, her eyes pleading.  
  
Her mother turned to her and chuckled in that loving way of hers. Handing her daughter a cup of warm sweet tea, she answered: "Of course, Mulan. We can most certainly care for ourselves. I know you're worried about your Baba, but you have never seen how he can be in his childhood. Even though physically he has aged, deep inside he still has his fighting spirit. He wants you to go. We all do."  
  
Mulan's grandmother nodded her head in agreement, and playfully clacked her tongue. "And this is the emperor asking for you, child. He knows about your family life. If it wasn't important, then he surely would not have bothered you."  
  
Glancing from one woman to another, Mulan saw what she hadn't expected to see in their eyes. The two pairs of eyes shone with pride and determination. Nothing in them contained any sort of despair or discouragement. They're proud of me, Mulan realized. They perceived that the emperor chose ME out of all the other soldiers he could have chosen for this mission. Perhaps the honor I will bring to them again will provide them with hope and optimism for the future.  
  
Mulan's Mama smiled at her. The expression should not have been that much big of a deal, but Mulan saw the undeniable praise in there. At the same time, it gave her the feeling that even without her, the Fa family are capable of getting through anything as long as they have faith.  
  
Her mind made up, she whispered a passionate "thanks" to the females of her family, and left the room with a content sigh.  
  
  
  
Later that day, Mulan was in the barn saddling up her horse. She felt more certain that she was doing the right thing, that she weren't leaving her family behind to fend for themselves. They're all a lot stronger than you think, even at their age, Mulan told herself, trying to focus her attention away from troubled worries.  
  
She led her horse out to the courtyard, and swung her traveling bag over one shoulder. Her parents and grandmother was outside waiting for her. Mulan stood in place for a minute, letting the warm afternoon sunshine warm over her. She had a feeling that she won't be able to enjoy the sun much once she heard His Majesty's news.  
  
She walked over to everyone and embraced them all. She muttered for them to take care and then bid farewell. Mulan didn't want any big emotional scene. She had hopes she won't be gone long, and before she knew it she could possibly be home with her loved ones again.  
  
Mulan swung her leg onto the horse's back and soon she was galloping through the large open gate to the Imperial Palace. She didn't look back. She had the sneaking suspicion that terrible worries and fears would torment her all the way to the palace if she did.  
  
After some time riding, and just as her tense body was starting to relax, she heard a voice from above. Slowing the horse down a little, Mulan glanced up and gasped in surprise.  
  
"Mushu!" She cried, as the dragon in question landed on her shoulder. "What're you doing here? And weren't you made a guardian dragon?"  
  
"I became travel size for your convenience," Mushu said in his trademark tone. "And I couldn't just let my baby go off all by herself, could I?"  
  
Cri-Kee, landing beside Mushu on Mulan's shoulder, chirped happily. Mulan laughed in spite of her nervousness. She could always count on her animal friends to cheer her up.  
  
Mushu had accompanied her last time when she went to war in her father's place. Because she knew her father most likely would not have made it back alive if he went, Mulan cut off her hair and took Fa Zhou's armor. Late at night, she rode her horse away from home, where she went to the camp where she was to meet the captain. She was disguised as a boy, but she certainly didn't act much like one at first. Being picked on by some of the other guys were not fun, Mulan mused. Soon, however, she gained everyone's acceptance and they were treating her as an equal. She even managed to defeat the Hun Army, but even that resulted in the discovering of her true identity. The captain, Li Shang, spared Mulan her life before she had saved his in the mountains. They left her in the snow, feeling desperate and alone. That had become a bonus when Mulan saw the five remaining Huns and got to the Palace in time to stop them, therefore bringing honor to her family at last.  
  
I wonder where Li Shang is now, Mulan thought as a pang shot through her heart. Does he still remember me? Does he even think about me anymore? It's been a whole year since they last parted at Mulan's home. Mulan had not heard from him ever since.  
  
Shaking off the question of why he didn't keep in touch, Mulan turned to Mushu, trying to distract herself from the painful memories of the days she spent after the war wondering about Li Shang. Right then she did not want to be pondering over a certain handsome captain when she should still be worrying about her father.  
  
"So, what do you think the urgent news is from the emperor?" Mulan asked, trying to sound more like her old self.  
  
"How should I know?" Mushu remarked, the usual obvious sarcasm in his voice. "But he probably wants you to fight again for him, seeing how successful you were the first time." He added as an afterthought.  
  
"The remaining Huns has yet to make an appearance this past year, Mushu. Why'd they choose now of all times to attack again?" Mulan stated.  
  
It was true. She had been rather skittish this whole year, afraid that the Huns would strike at a bad time, demanding her attention away from family. Though this time it may or may not be them, Mulan still had an intense feeling of dread deep down inside. Gulping down her trepidation, she grinned at Mushu and shook her head.  
  
"I don't know," Mushu said carelessly, already bored with the conversation. "I just have one of those feelings guardians have sometimes. You better be careful out there, girl."  
  
Mulan nodded and was silent the rest of the way to the Palace. She was lost in thought about all the possibilities of the future, and all the what ifs of the past...  
  
  
  
It was night when they finally arrived. Mulan glanced up at the dark sky with the beautiful full moon. She shivered slightly, definitely paying attention to all the eerie hootings of the owls in the forest not too far away and the occasional sudden snapping of tree branches. Mushu and Cri-kee were both covered inside her cloak, drawing warmth from anything possible. The cold night air had been a disadvantage for Mulan when she was trying to get by in only a simple cloak. It was a relief when she at last was shown inside the palace to see His Majesty.  
  
As they walked down the hallway, Mulan found herself admiring the paintings of all the fierce warriors and gorgeous landscapes that hung on the wall. Every single stroke was carefully done, and nothing as far as she could see was out of place. The only word that could do them justice is 'perfect'. If only real life was that way, she thought.  
  
After several silent minutes of turning into random hallways, they finally entered a chamber. A butler quickly summoned her in, and soon she was face to face with the emperor. Kneeling in his presence as she was supposed to, Fa Mulan felt a little nervous and kept looking around after she was told to stand up. It was the first time she has ever been in the ruler of China's chamber. Somehow the room wasn't quite as exquisite as she had expected.  
  
"Fa Mulan," The emperor stated simply, his eyes twinkling, his tone knowing. Even though he acknowledged her with such fondness, Mulan knew by his tense body form that something was incredibly wrong. It has to be because of the secret mission he messaged to her about.  
  
Mulan murmured her greetings properly back to him. There was that terrible feeling of anxiety again. She pushed it down and willed it to stay there while she plastered a friendly smile on her face.  
  
Just as the emperor opened his mouth to begin to say something, the door to the chamber burst open. Mulan watched on openmouthed as the butler ushered the visitor through.  
  
It was Li Shang. And all Mulan could do at that moment was stare.

  
  
A/n- I know the beginning was rather abrupt. But what can I say? I didn't think it was really necessary to go on about this and that. Well, hopefully later chapters will be more interesting. I had to get the start of the story out somehow. Anyway, please review! Just tell what whatever you thought of this. Reviews are totally my biggest inspiration. :D


	2. Chapter 2

A/n- Thanks for the reviews! I'll try to cut down on the 'unnecessary info', and feel free to tell me if you think I'm overdoing it with the descriptions again.

Chapter 2

That night, Mulan laid wide awake in bed, thinking. She was in a chamber the emperor had lent her for use for the night she'd be staying in the palace. The room was quite large and gorgeous, as to be expected. However, it was also gloomy and chilly, and Mulan shivered in the still cold air within the chamber. She stared up at the ceiling, though her mind was miles away from the smoothly golden exterior covering it. Beside her, Mushu and Cri-Kee lay sleeping soundly, unaware of the going ons inside their female friend's mind.

Mulan closed her eyes, not to welcome sleepiness, but to remember more clearly of her conversation with the emperor and Li Shang. Just the thought of his name set Mulan's young and inexperienced heart beating faster. She didn't understand this reaction to him when she saw him earlier that night, and she doesn't understand it now. Mulan sighed. She can worry about Li Shang later. Right now she should consider what His Majesty had told her.

The emperor had explained to her about unusual happenings over in the forest some way from the palace. At night, sometimes strange and peculiar calls could be heard inside. No one is sure whether it's the voice of animals, humans, neither, or both. At first, in the mornings some would go investigate. However, many of them never did return. Those few that did, found out nothing and are just as clueless as before.

The emperor feared that a secret clan of some sort rests within the forest, and claim the land as their own. Or perhaps it is a group of wild beasts that has yet to be discovered. Mulan was rather confused, but she did offer to explore the grounds for him. It turned out that the emperor did believe of an organization living in the forest, and wanted Shang and Mulan to find out more about it. He also wished to know about the welfare of the people that earlier went to explore. He felt certain that they are still alive, and some negotiation done on his most trusted companions' part could soften their heart, possibly resulting in the release of the soldiers.

Mulan wasn't too sure about the emperor's theory. It didn't seem logical to her that someone as educated and reasonable like the ruler of China would just jump to a mere conclusion and send people to comply his guess. It appeared as if he was sure that a clan existed inside the forest, and they have kept his people hostage. _But how could he know for certain? _Mulan mused. _Is there something that he isn't telling me?_

Nonsense. Mulan shook off that thought and frowned to herself. There would be no reason for him to hide anything from Shang and her. He is trusting them to do this right, so he of course would have told them all he knew. If he believes a secret clan resides in the forest, then he must have a good reason for it.

That's what she had been telling herself when she agreed to the mission. From the sound of it, it will take approximately a week if all goes well. If something goes wrong, then there's no telling if they'll even make it back alive, much less how long it'll last.

I can't think like that, Mulan muttered silently to herself. _Everything will be fine, this assignment will only take several days to complete, and soon I will be back home again, working with my father side by side._ Suddenly Mulan became a little nervous, wondering if her father is all right, and if her mother had managed okay with her gone. It's not even one whole day apart from her family yet, and she's worrying about them already. She sighed, and consoled herself with memories of the past, how strong and sturdy her father had been back then. _Perhaps he'll regain that strength in the days that I'll be away_, she told herself.

Perhaps…

Finally, still thinking about her earlier encounter with the emperor, and the memories of her childhood father fresh on her mind, Mulan fell asleep. Her last thought before she entirely gave up to unconsciousness, however, was the image of Li Shang's face when she saw him again after one whole year…

Morning soon arrived, and Mushu was the first one up as usual. He jumped over to the windowsill, where a thick red curtain hung from the top. Sneaking a look into the lights of a brand new day, he then jumped back to the bed, where Mulan and Cri-Kee still lay. They both were sleeping so soundly, but Mushu couldn't resist waking them up with one of his old tricks.

He lovingly snatched Cri-Kee up from her position on the pillow. Cri-Kee moaned, and proceeded to go back to sleep. Mushu hastily entwined Cri-Kee's wings together several times. He watched in amusement as his bug friend's eyes twisted around to spell his discomfort. Soon, he released the hold on his intertwined wings, and held it beside Mulan's ear. The ringing sound had Mulan quickly sitting up on the bed, eyes roaming the room as if not sure where she is.

"Now, that's a reaction I was not expecting," Mushu commented. "Miss Lazy Bones waking up so quickly without complaint? Going to war that time may have improved you after all."

Mulan rolled her eyes and flopped back onto the bed, diving under the covers. "Mushu, what time is it? I wouldn't put it past you to wake me up if it's only five in the morning."

Mushu regarded her with a feigned look of disapproval. "You wouldn't want to be late for the emperor now, would you? I'm sure he would want to see you when it's so bright and early."

Mulan peeked out. "Mushu, no one excepts farmers and maybe you arises this early in the morning. If you would stop talking for a moment, you'll learn that this castle is dead quiet. Why? Because everyone else is still sleeping!"

With that, she groaned and tried to go back to sleep. Cri-Kee chirped, and bounced over to sit beside Mushu. Mushu looked at him for a minute, trying an intimidating look on him. When Cri-Kee merely tweeted happily again, he sighed and turned back to Mulan. Mushu waited for ten whole seconds, then swept the covers off of her. Mulan shivered and her hands patted the space near her, searching for the blanket. When she couldn't feel it, she finally opened her eyes fully and glared at Mushu.

"You don't have to make this exactly like that first morning at camp during the war, you know," She said, sitting up on the bed.

"Hey!" Mushu protested. "Last night you weren't sleeping on the cold, wet ground, so don't you be complaining."

"All that's missing is the porridge…" Mulan mused, ignoring Mushu's comment and staring at him pointedly.

Mushu gave his enormous eyes an exaggerated roll. "You're a guest at the PALACE, girl. What, you think they're not going to serve you a nice and healthy breakfast?"

"Fine," Mulan mumbled, and got out of the bed. She changed out of her night clothes, and then headed for the door.

She paused before turning the knob. "Coming?" she asked her animal friends.

"Now, are you absolutely certain that you'll be ready to face whatever bad beast it is that'll be waiting for you in the woods?" Mushu asked, suddenly seeming semi-serious. He folded his arms across his chest, waiting patiently for an answer. Cri-Kee's head bobbled up and down quickly, him wanting to know the reply also. (A/n- Is Cri-Kee a he or a she? I just assumed he's male for this story, since I don't think they mentioned in the movie. If you know, then please tell me.)

Mulan stilled. Mushu and Cri-Kee had been right there when the emperor had spoken to her and Shang the night before. They had heard and understood every word, but she didn't think they would bring it up first thing in the morning. She turned around, and fiddled with a stroke of her hair before responding.

"I'll be fine." She finally said simply, not offering any more information based on her part.

"Promise me you won't do anything too rash," Mushu said, sounding a little suspicious. He knew that sometimes Mulan's actions are caused by her overpowering emotions, and that can get them in trouble. Sure, he liked spontaneous escapades as much as the next person, but he of course had to put his friend's safety first. And Mulan is a girl you're only going to meet every dynasty –if ever-, and Mushu didn't want her hurt on account of his adventurous nature. She can decide for herself, and even then, her choices must not be on the edge of extreme.

"I can promise, but I don't know if I'll be able to keep it," Mulan shrugged. "It's hard –sometimes even impossible- to keep a promise if you can't predict the future."

With that, she opened the door, the force staggering her backwards. She scowled, regained her balance, and then swept out of the room.

"Well, Cri-Kee," Mushu boomed, training his eyes on his friend. "I don't know what exactly she meant by that, but we'll have to keep a close eye on her. At times, Mulan can be quite intuitive."

Cri-Kee's reply was yet another joyful chirp.

Later that morning, Mulan stood silently beside Khan, her horse. She was waiting for Shang, who was saddling his horse. The emperor had given them some advice and directions for this task, and also some good luck words to keep in mind. Mulan sighed, and tilted her head up to let the warm sunshine wash all over her. She shivered from the sudden change of body temperature, but it was a nice feeling.

Not too long later, she heard the sound of foot and hoof steps approaching. Glancing in that direction, she felt her pulse accelerate as she took in Li Shang in all his glory. She knew she was staring again, just like the night before. Averting her eyes before Shang catches her watching, Mulan thought back to their encounter yesterday. He had seemed surprised to see her there also. But after the shock was processed, in his face was replaced with something that Mulan did not recognize.

Was it confusion? She asked herself now. _Or could it be guilt? Or perhaps even… joy?_

None of them seems that much likely, she finally decided. She doesn't really know Li Shang, so assuming something intimate like that would not be right.

Anyway, after they made the proper introductions and a little polite conversation here and there, the emperor had them thinking about the happenings over at the forest.

"Mulan?" Mulan heard a voice calling her, and she realized that it was Shang. While she was reminiscing yesterday night, Shang had reached her and was already sitting on his horse. She glanced up, and saw that he was looking at her expectantly. She quickly climb onto Khan's glossy back, and then turned to Shang. Mushu and Cri-Kee both were perched on Khan's head.

"Ready?" Shang asked her.

Mulan nodded, and gave a little nervous laugh. _What's there to be ready for?_ She asked herself silently. _It's just like any other thing that soldiers do every day. It'll be over and I'll be home again before sun down._

Together they trotted toward the forest. From where Mulan was, it seemed small, and the trees looked no larger than bushes. She focused her gaze upon it and watched in fascination as everything slowly came into view.

Mulan suddenly became aware of the silence between Li Shang and her. They had not spoken at all since Shang asked her if she was ready. She gradually grew uncomfortable as the silence continued on with their journey. _Why isn't he saying anything?_ She wondered. _Better yet, why can't I think of anything to say?_ Almost as if compelled to make conversation, even if it's about the weather, Mulan opened her mouth and spoke.

"Did you have- "

"How have you- "

Mulan clamped her mouth shut just as she heard Shang spoke. He, however, did the same thing and looked over at her. She felt a blush creeping up her cheeks, and coughed to hide her embarrassment of being watched by Shang.

"You first," Shang said carefully, turning his eyes back on the road.

"Um, did you have a good, um, night's sleep at the palace?" Mulan asked, the question sounding lame even to her own ears.

"I did, thank you." Shang answered, nodding. "And you?"

Mulan thought back to the rude awakening of her reliable friend Mushu, and the corners of her lips tugged up slightly. "It was peaceful," She lied.

Shang nodded again. "So how have you been this past year?"

Mulan wondered if she should take the time to explain, or should just go with the easy answer that also happens to be another lie. "Fine," She replied.

Proper girls aren't supposed to complain, she told herself. _And Shang doesn't need to know your whole life story._

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Shang said, looking at Mulan again with a smile on his handsome face. She blushed once more, and ducked her head avoided his gaze.

After that, they were both quiet for the rest of the way to the forest. Some time around noon they finally arrived, and they both stood at the edge for awhile, as if waiting for something to beckon them in.

"Well, I guess this is it," Shang remarked. "Coming?" He called back to Mulan as his horse moved onto the land of the forest.

Mulan held his gaze. Those eyes seemed familiar, yet foreign at the same time. _Do I really know Shang anymore? Have we both changed in ways that no one can understand?_

Knowing that this isn't the time for twenty questions, she gave the dark and uninviting outline of the forest one last look before following Shang into the wilderness.

A/n- Review, please?


	3. Chapter 3

A/n- I am SOOOO sorry, guys, that I haven't updated in so long. I've just been caught up with schoolwork and such, and I know that's not really an excuse, but… well… I don't know what else to say…

If you aren't too mad at me for updating seven months later, then by all means, please read and review this chapter!

P.S. To those of you requesting Shang's POV- Shang's feelings are supposed to remain a mystery! Sorry, but writing from his point of view would just show too much of his emotions toward Mulan. And I really really really really don't want that to happen until he's ready to reveal them.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Chapter 3

"Um, Mulan?" Mushu asked impatiently as he and Cri-Kee ducked yet again to avoid getting hit by some sharp tree branches. "Do you even know where we're going?"

Mulan looked at Shang, who was several feet ahead of her. "Not exactly," she admitted in a soft voice. "But that's the whole point. We're supposed to just ride and go wherever the woods take us."

Mushu snorted. "Yeah, just keep telling yourself that. Maybe you'll actually start to believe it."

Before Mulan could reply, there was a very loud "Ow!" as Mushu was smacked in the face, courtesy of another thick tree branch. "What is wrong with this place?" He asked, a hint of irritation appearing in his trademark tone. "Why are Cri-Kee and I the only ones suffering here? How come you two humans don't even have a single scratch on you?"

"Keep it down, Mushu," Mulan hissed at him. "You're going to give us away if you keep yelling everything you say."

"Give us away to whom, exactly, may I ask?" Now he definitely sounded irritated, Mulan noted nervously.

Mulan didn't mean to make Mushu annoyed or aggravated. She just wanted him to be quiet, to stop complaining, so she could actually _think_. She had to, in order to figure out where they were supposed to head toward, where was the safest place to set up camp, and where was a big enough space for both her and Shang to spend the night at.

Unfortunately for her, Mulan couldn't think. Not with Mushu constantly grumbling about this and that, not with Cri-Kee chirping excitedly every few seconds. Mulan wished with all her heart for them to shut up, if only for a couple of minutes, just so she can figure out a way to start a conversation with Shang.

She had to talk to Shang. It's not like she had a choice. She had to ask him when and where he wanted to stop. They couldn't keep on going all night, could they?

Mulan cleared her throat loudly, and urged her horse forward a bit so that she was side to side with Shang. But when she was there, she didn't have a clue as to what to say. Gathering her reins more tightly in her hands, she stared straight ahead, yelling at her brain to start functioning and also mentally at Mushu to stop counting the number scratches he had gotten.

Thankfully, Shang glanced over at Mulan at that moment and smiled at her. It was a rather shy and uncertain smile, but Mulan ignored that part. She smiled back, and was surprised to see that Shang looked taken aback, as if he hadn't expected her to return the gesture.

"So, Shang," Mulan said casually, lessening her grip on the reins. She thought she could visibly feel her horse relax as she did so. "When do you think we should stop and make camp?"

Shang turned back so that he was facing directly the road again. He appeared as if thinking over her question. After he studied their surroundings for a moment, he turned back toward Mulan and shrugged. "It seems the sun has already set. Whenever you're ready, I guess."

Mulan nodded, grateful that he didn't care to march on for several more hours.

They went on for a few more minutes in silence. But the silence, Mulan noted, wasn't really an uncomfortable or awkward kind of one. It didn't feel as if she and Shang weren't talking because they didn't know what to say to each other, but because they both wanted time to think over some things. At least, Mulan knew that _she_ did. Now that Mushu had finally ceased his complaints, she planned on straightening out some facts in her head.

First, she had to ponder over why she and Shang were acting so tentatively toward each other. It's as if they're both tip-toeing around one another, afraid to disturb or bother the other one. It seemed to Mulan that they both retreated inside their shells and thoughts once they're in close vicinity together. She didn't get it. She didn't understand why they were behaving this why, why they felt the need to act so polite toward one another, as if at one time, they hadn't been friends. Mulan realized that they seemed like they had just met, and that thought really troubled her.

She couldn't figure out what was with Shang, but she at least should know why she herself was acting the same way. However, she had no idea, and it annoyed her to no end. These were her own emotions, after all. She should be able to know what they mean and the reason behind them!

"Are you okay?" Shang asked her suddenly, startling her out of her reverie. He looked at her worriedly. "You seemed to be deeply troubled or annoyed. Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no… no, no," Mulan stammered, forcing a laugh. "Everything's fine. I was just wondering… how exactly we're supposed to get to the bottom of this 'secret clan.' It's not like they're going to have a sign over their hideout that indicate they're there. So how do we know where to look? How do we know when we've got the right persons?"

Mulan waited as Shang frowned, really wanting to know what his answer would be. She herself had been wondering those things moments after they set foot into the forest. It was a big relief to finally get those questions that had been frustrating her to no end out in the open.

"I suppose…" Shang began, looking at Mulan with a direct gaze. "I suppose we'll just know it when we get to them. They've got to stand out, right? They can't be normal, everyday people like us. There has to be something significant with them, something that separates them from the rest. I guess that's our only clue."

Before Mulan could speak, before she could even smile to show her agreement with Shang's reasoning, Mushu spoke up. Mulan wasn't suspecting it at all, maybe because she was too focused on Shang's gaze or completely drawn into his eyes or something corny like that, but she almost fell off her horse, she jumped so high.

Or perhaps she almost dived headfirst into the dirt ground was because of what Mushu said.

"Kind of like… rather like…" Mushu remarked, staring from Mulan to Shang and back again. "Kind of like falling in love?"

Mulan felt as if her face had terrible sunburn. She felt like it was igniting from her deep crimson blush. She couldn't believe Mushu had said that, especially considering he suspected, maybe even knew, how things were between Mulan and Shang right now.

But of course, Mulan wasn't even too sure herself, so she couldn't count on Mushu to figure it out. But she was still annoyed since Mushu knew perfectly well that things were awkward between them in the least, and he was making it even more so.

There was complete silence among the four of them (including Cri-Kee) for a moment, broken only by the footsteps of the horses. Mulan was breathing somewhat raggedly, her heart beating a mile a minute. She found herself once again not sure of why she was feeling that way, but she did discern that she was getting more and more apprehensive of Shang's response.

"Excuse me?" Shang spoke at last. His voiced sounded strange and a bit faraway to Mulan, as if he was in a different dimension even though he was only a couple of feet away from her. It didn't have the same ring to it as his normal tone.

"You know," Mushu replied, hopping up and down eagerly on the back of the horse. "When you fall in love and find the one you're destined to be with. You just KNOW it when you see her. From the moment you set your eyes upon her, you know she's the one, the one you've been looking for your whole life. She's your other half. There's no logical reason as to explain how you know. You just do."

Once again, silence settled among them like a thick blanket wrapping itself around the victims. No one spoke for a minute. Mulan wasn't sure what Shang was thinking, but she herself was wondering when Mushu had become so… so _deep_, or… had he always been that way, and she's just never noticed?

_I suppose it's possible,_ Mulan thought, twirling a strand of her hair with her left fingers._ All those times Mushu was advising me, all those times he's comforted me with such insane words… I thought it was him just being his usual self, acting out his own personality. I never knew that there could be another meaning within them…_

"Girl," Mushu hissed softly into Mulan's ear, interrupting her thoughts. "Don't you be getting any crazy ideas, now. Don't be thinking that I'm poetic or whatever. Because I'm not. I'm doing this to make conversation. I'm not stupid. The tension between you and Shang is thick enough that not even that stupefying sword of yours is gonna be able to slice through it."

Mulan smiled guiltily, and chanced a look over at Shang. He appeared to be deep in thought, but other than that, his expression revealed nothing.

"So this whole 'knowing the secret clan when you see them' is basically the same thing," Mushu continued in a loud voice, meant for both her and Shang to hear. "We'll know it's them when we meet them. It's that simple."

Shang nodded his consent, and Mulan, following his example, did too. She grinned at Mushu, wordlessly thanking him for trying to make break the silence. Cri-Kee saw and chirped merrily, as was his nature.

Just when Mulan thought everything was back to "normal" again, with her and Shang in their own little worlds, Shang spoke. It wasn't to Mulan, though. It was directed at Mushu.

"Do you really believed that?" He asked the guardian dragon, fixing his dark brown eyes on the animal. "Do you really believe that just by looking at someone, you'll know for certain that she's your true love?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Mushu tossed back, jumping onto the horse's head so he can see Shang better. "Just because I'm no human doesn't mean I can't fall in love the same way as humans, you know. Us guardian dragons have the same practices as y'all, believe it or not."

It's at that moment that Shang seemed to finally realize that he was talking to a MINIATURE DRAGON.

"Who are you?" He gasped, looking from Mushu to Mulan. "You can… talk?"

"Evidently," Mushu replied, glaring at the captain. "My name's Mushu. I'm Mulan's guardian dragon. Now, getting back to what we were talking about… you were saying?"

Shang still looked shocked beyond belief, and Mulan could tell that he wanted to ask more. Mulan shook her head at him, motioning for him to just let it go. It wasn't worth it, causing a commotion over a fire-breathing lizard.

Shang, thankfully, didn't ask anymore, even though it was obvious he so wanted to. But he must have realized that pressing further would just annoy Mushu and possibly hurt his feelings, so he dropped the subject. Mulan silently promised to explainit to him later.

Clearing his throat, Shang reluctantly resumed his converstaion with Mushu.

"So," Mushu said, cocking his head in Shang's direction. "You think animals aren't worthy of falling in love?"

The captainlooked a tad bit taken aback by Mushu's comment. "Oh, that's not what I mean," he said hastily, shaking his head. "I didn't mean to imply that you aren't worthy of falling in love just because you're not a human. I only meant if you really think love at first sight is a true concept. If it's something worth believing in."

Mushu scratched his chin, thinking this one over. "Well… you're not gonna get hurt by placing your faith in that belief, that's for sure. You may get cheated later on when you're 100 and still single, but… I daresay you're handsome enough to have been married at least once by that time, Captain Li Shang."

Shang again seemed somewhat surprised by what Mushu said. But he smiled just the same and nodded for him to go on.

"No harm will come out of believing in such a thing as that," Mushu went on. "So you might as well try. Give the notion a chance. It may give you a kick to that patootie later on, but… let's not play precognition here."

Mulan had no idea what in the world was going on. Her head was spinning from the conversation Mushu and Shang were having, and she felt unusually dizzy. She wasn't used to Mushu sounding so unlike his mocking self, or Shang actually conversing with a being as deranged-acting as Mushu. She also wasn't accustomed to be feeling as lost as she did right then when listening to a conversation.

"What do you think, Mulan?" Shang suddenly asked her, turning to look at her sitting there in the saddle, frozen like a statue in the moonlight. She searched her mind for an answer, but she wasn't even entirely sure what the question was referring to.

"What do I think of what?" She said finally, mentally kicking herself for sounding so ignorant. But Shang either didn't notice or just didn't care, for he did not look bothered by it at all.

"What do you think of the whole love at first sight thing? Do _you_ believe that it's real, that you can tell the one you're meant to be with for forever just from one look?"

_How did we get from secret clans to love at first sight? _Mulan wondered frantically, racking her brain for something even semi-intelligent._ I see the connection, but… my opinion of whether love at first sight exists is quite irrelevant to anything…_

In her haste to search for an answer and a reply to Shang's question, Mulan wasn't paying attention to what Shang was doing. But Mushu was. He observed the way Shang's eyes roamed all over Mulan's body, finally settling on her face. He mentally took notes on the tighter grip Shang had his reins in when he was studying her. He surveyed the peculiar manner Shang was looking at her, waiting expectantly, as if her answer was the most important thing to him in the world.

Mulan, meanwhile, still didn't know what to say. She wanted to please Shang, to give him the answer he wants, but of course there's that problem that she has no clue WHAT he wants. So she decided to just give him the truth and deal with the consequences.

"No," She said quietly, and the word echoed through the woods several times, finally settling down to just the tiniest detection of a whisper. "I don't."

Mushu regarded Mulan with an expression that evidently told her that she was crazy for admitting that. Mulan ignored him, instead focusing on what Shang was appearing like. He merely nodded, not even looking at her, and Mulan couldn't tell anything at all from his facial expression.

_Was that the wrong thing to say?_ She thought frantically, chewing on her lower lip._ Should I have just lied and said yes? I would have, if I knew that saying no was going to make things even more awkward between us…_

Mulan was still battling with herself when she saw Cri-Kee jumping into her vision. She was startled to say the least, since Cri-Kee always stayed and agreed with Mushu. She waited, wanting to see what the cricket could possibly want.

But Cri-Kee didn't chirp or tweet or anything. He merely gazed at Mulan, his small, beady eyes containing something that's not his usual mirth. He didn't look as fragile as Mulan thought he would. Instead, his legs were planted firmly on Khan's back, his arms crossed over his tiny chest.

"You think I did the right thing, Cri-Kee?" Mulan asked the cricket, leaning forward a bit so she could see him better. "You think I was right in telling the truth, even if it meant Shang and I probably won't have a normal conversation again for the rest of this journey?"

Mulan had thought that Cri-Kee would remain in his stance of defiance, but instead, Cri-Kee chirped and jumped up and down, back to his usual self.

Smiling, Mulan gave Cri-Kee a heartwarming "thanks."

_Well, it's nice to know not everyone thinks I should've just fabricated,_ Mulan thought to herself._ Even if he is the lucky cricket._

"Mulan," Shang called, sounding not as close as before. Mulan realized that she and Khan had lagged behind, and gave her horse the sign to canter so they could catch up.

When they reached him, Shang was staring at an open area in the forest. It wasn't too big, but big enough for them to set up camp and spend the night. Mulan was happy, since that meant no more riding with that eerie silence between them, even if just for several hours.

"What do you think?" Shang queried, indicating the vacant spot.

"It's great," Mulan said enthusiastically, getting off her horse. "It's the perfect place to spend the night."

Shang followed her example and descended his horse too. Together, they set up camp and built a fire. The emperor had given them plenty of food for the journey, so they ate their dinner around the fire, watching the embers rise and fall in a startling familiar rhythm.

Finally, when they were full, Mulan crawled into her sleeping bag, glad to be done for the day. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to lose conscious and glide into her dreamland. After mumbling a "take the first watch" to Mushu, she immediately fell asleep.

"Take the first watch, huh," Mushu muttered to himself, very much annoyed. "As if I'm not as tired as Miss I-Don't-Believe-In-Love-At-First-Sight here. As if I wouldn't love to go to sleep too. Hmph."

He was just getting ready to continue his string of complaints when he caught sight of Shang. He was leaning against a tree trunk, staring into the fire. The fact that his eyes were glazed over and unfocused made Mushu reach the conclusion that he really wasn't all that interested in the bright flames. Instead, Mushu suspected the captain's thoughts involved Mulan in there somewhere. It was the same look he'd gotten when Mushu was studying him earlier.

_This is stupid,_ Mushu thought to himself._ He likes her, she likes him. They should just come out and admit their feelings and then kiss and get married. It's as simple as that. Why all these misunderstandings and concealment of real emotions?_

Cri-Kee, also watching Shang, had a different opinion. He deemed that things between Mulan and Shang were complicated, more complicated than he, a mere cricket, could ever even hope to understand…

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A/n- Please oh please review…


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